Valve mechanism



Patented May 29, 1945 UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE y vALv MaoHANis-M Gregory A. Petroe, Kenmore, N. Y., assigner to The Mathieson Alkali Works, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Virginia Application May 5, 1944, Serial No. 534,205-

r 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluids and more particularly to an improved unitary ow-control valve mechanism whereby the flow of one fluid is controlled and regulated by the pressure of a second fluid, and whereby the iiow ofthe first fluid is interrupted andthe system to which said first fluid is delivered is vented to the atmos-l phere, or other suitable place of disposition, should the flow of thesecond fluid fail.

My improved controlledv valve is particularly applicable to the regulation and control of the flow of chlorine gas to chlorine dioxide generators or the like and will be specifically described with respect to such use, but it will be understood that its use is not restricted to the handling of chlorine.

For instance, it has been found that chlorine dioxide may be generatedv by reacting chlorine with a chlorite. Concentrated chlorine dioxide gas is, however, highly explosive and, in order to reduce the hazards of such operation, it is required that the chlorine be supplied to the generator in admixture with a suitable proportion of air or other diluent gas. It is thereforeof primary importance that the iiow of chlorine be discontinued should any failure of the air supply result. It is also v'of importance that the rate of chlorine iiow to the generator be carefully regulated'by control of pressure and volumein accordance with the amount of air supplied and that the supply line.leading from the control mechanism to the generator be quickly'vented to.

the atmosphere, or the gas therein be otherwise released from the line, should vfailure `of the air ing parts of the valve mechanism are enclosed Within the housing member I, the main spring 2 is positioned about the shaft 3, the upper end e of the shaft 3 being supported laterally by the removably fastened to the housing member I". The shaft 3' is free to move vertically through the bushing Il, which forms the upper seat of spring 2.

The lower end of shaftv 3 is enlarged to approximate the inner diameter ofthe housing member I so as to form a lower seat 5 for the spring 2 and to provide lateral support for the lower end of the shaft. As shown, the lower enlarged portion of the shaft 3 is provided with recesses or ball races I adapted to receive ball bearings 8 which facilitate the vertical movement of the shaft within the housing.

Threaded on to the lower end of the housing member I is the housing member r9 enclosing a chamber of substantially increased cross-sectional area and supporting the flexible diaphragm IIl on which rests the anvil II secured to the lower end of the shaft 3. The spring 2 is normally under tension rand tends to 4force the anvil II downwardly against the diaphragm IIJ'.

The interior of the housing member 9 is divided by the diaphragm I0 into an upper chamber containing the anvil and a lower chamber I2` hermetically sealed off from the upper chamber by the diaphragm I0. The interior of the housing member 9 is also partitioned by the upwardly protruding valve-seat support I3 to form a lower chamber I4 which communicates with chamber I2 through the opening I5 in the valve-seat IB. The valve-seat support I3 is provided with ducts I3a through which fluid entering through opening I5 may escape into chamber I2 should the diaphragm Il) be forced downwardly onto. the valve-seat support I3.

The lower end of chamber I4 is sealed by a flexible diaphragm I1 having its marginal edges secured bythe juncture of the lower portion of housing member 9 with a further housing member I3, held together as by nuts shown at I9.

The marginal edges of diaphragm Il] are similarly secured between the flanges of the upper and lower parts of housing member 9 which are held together by conventional means, such as bolts shown in the drawing.

An upwardly projecting valve stem 2U adapted to seat at I6, and a downwardly projecting anvil 2l, are supported by the diaphragm I1, anvil 2I resting upon the diaphragm 22 which is in turn supported at its marginal edges by the juncture of housing member I8 and a further housing member 23, these yhousing members being held together in any suitable manner, as by bolts 24 shown in the drawing, to form a gas-tight chamber 25 beneath the diaphragm 22. Chamber 25 flanged `bushing `which is bolted, or otherwise is provided with a pipe connection 26.v

Chamber itl is provided with a pipe connection 21 and chamber |2 is provided with a threaded outlet opening 2l partially closed by a plug 2S having an orice extending therethrough.

A housing member 29 is supported by a laterally projecting portion of housing member l, and interposed at the juncture of these two housing members is a member 3|] which constitutes a `fulcrum for lever 3| and a seal for chamber 32 within the housing member .29. The opening in the fulcrum member 30 through which lever- 3| passes may be sealed in any convenient manner which permits operation of the lever. A gas-impervious seal is effected, as shown, by a ball and socket joint in which the curved annular projection of the 'lever 3| is held against the curved seat of the fulcrum member Si) by the threaded cap and locknut 34. In lieu thereof, or in addition thereto, a. gas-impervious flexible metal disc may be sealed onto the shoulder of the lever 3l formed H by said annular projection with the marginal portion of said disc clamped between the juncture of fulcrum 3| and housing member 29. The housing member 29 and fulcrum member 3| are rmly but removably held to the lateral projection of housing member l by conventional means such as by screw 35 and bolt 36, as shown in the drawing.

At the extreme left, lever 3| connects with shaft 3 by any conventional means, advantageously by a ball joint 31, such as shown in the drawing, and is actuated thereby. At the extreme right, the lever 3| is provided with a coupling 38 for attaching the lever to thelower end of valve stem 39 which extends upwardly through the valve seat 40. Floating on the valve stem 39 there is a valve seating member 4| held upwardly by spring 42. Surrounding spring 42 is a flexible gas-imperviousY sleeve 43 sealed onto the coupling 38 and the valve seating member 4| at the lower and upper ends, respectively, of the sleeve so as to protect the spring from corrosion and prevent leakage of gas upwardly around the valve stem when the valve seating member 4| is in engagement with Valve seat 45.

Surmounting the housing member 2S is a further housing member 44 which surrounds the valve seat |45 and just above housing member 44, is a housing member 45. These housing members are fastened together to form a gas-tight joint, as by means of bolted ilanges shown in the drawing.

The valve seat 45 is tightly fitted into the housing member 44, as by shrinking, and extends entirely through said housing member, the upper end of the valve seat forming a further valve seat co-operating with the valve seating member 46.

The valve seating member 46 is held against the upper end of valve seat 4B by spring 43, positioned about shaft 41, the tension of the spring being adjustable by means of the set screw 4S Iwhich adjusts the position of the upper spring seat 50. The valve seating member 4B is unseated by the upward vertical movement of the valve stem 39.

The Valve seating member is sealed onto a gas-impervious flexible metal flange 5|, the marginal portion of which is secured between the flanges at the juncture of the housing members 44 vand 45, forming a gas-impervious joint beneath which is a chamber 52.

Chamber 52 is connected by duct 53 with an exhaust pipe connection 54 which leads away from the valve assembly and exhausts into the atmosphere or other suitable place of disposition of chlorine gas or the like.

An inlet pipe connection 55 is provided leading into the chamber 32. An outlet pipe connection 56 is provided leading out from the annular space 5l surrounding the upper portion of the valve stem 39 within thevalve seat 4|).

When the Valve seating member y4| is unseated,

parts coming in contact with the chlorine, or the like, should be of corrosion-resistant metal.

The valve assembly `will be further illustrated by the following description of its use and operation as applied to the control of chlorine gases to be passed in admixture with air through a chlorine dioxide generator or the like.

As previously noted, it is important in such operations that the pressure under which the chlorine is supplied to the generator be carefully controlled and regulated and that its now be interrupted immediately and the chlorine exhausted from the line leading to the generator should the air supply fail.

In this valve assembly, valve seating member 4| is firmly held against the valve seat 40, by the `downward action of spring 2 on the lever 3l,

except when sufficient pressure is exerted at the lower side of diaphragm l) to offset the downward pressure of the spring 2.

In normal operation, diaphragm I0 is held upwardly by the pressure of air entering under pressure from the source of supply through pipe connection 2 into chamber Hl and through the opening l5 in valve seat I5 into the chamber |2. A portion of the air thus entering chamber i2 is permitted to leak out continuously through the orice in plug 28 so that, in order to maintain the required pressure in chamber l2 to hold the valve seating member 4l away from valve seat 40, air under pressure must be continuously supplied through line 27. t

The pressure under which air is supplied to i chamber I4 may be regulated by the needle valve 59 in the air supply line. Pressure of about 15 pounds per square inch has been used with advantage but this will depend upon spring tension and the like characteristic of the particular valve assembly.

When in operation, chlorine gas under pressure enters chamber 52, through inlet line 55, passes upwardly through the annular space 51 and out through line 55. Since the outlet line 55 is connected with chamber 25, the outlet pressure of the chlorine gas is exerted against the lower side of diaphragm 22 and tends to force it upwardly against anvil 2l which, inv turn, forces the valve stem 2B upwardly toward the Valve seat I6, gradually closing the opening l5 and restricting the flow of air into chamber |2 which, due to the resulting drop of the air pressure in chamber l2, permits the shaft 3to be forced downwardly by spring 2. 'Ihe downward movement of shaft 3,

operating through lever 3 l, moves the valve seatsure of the chlorine in line ber l2,

This drop in pressure in chamber 25 permits the valve stem to recede from valve seat I6,thus permitting an increased flow of air into cham- The resultant increase in pressure in chamber I2 tends to force the diaphragm I0 upwardly with the resulting upward motio-n of shaft 3, which through lever 3|, causes the valve seatl ing member 4| to recede from valve seat 40 permitting an increased flow of the chlorine gasr through the annular space 51 which tends to increase the outlet pressure of the chlorine gas in line 56 and, accordingly, in chamber 25.

Should the air pressure in chamber l2 fall sufficiently, due to failure of the air supply, shaft 3 will be forced downwardly to an extreme position, at which valve seating member 4l will be forced onto the valve seat 40 so as to close completely the annular space 51, thus interrupting completely the flow of chlorine gas through the Valve. Under such extreme conditions, the spring 42 will be sufficiently compressed to permit the valve stem 39 to move upwardly through valve seating member 4l sufficient to unseat valve seating member 46thus permitting chlorine gas, under pressure in exit lines 56, line 58 and other supply lines leading -to the generator, to be exhausted through annular space 51 into chamber the air-supply pressure drop, as distinguished from a complete failure of the air supply, the pressure in chamber l2 will drop proportionately, irrespective of the chlorine pressure in chamber 25 and, as a result, the outlet chlorine pressure will be reduced. This result is particularly desirable where chlorine and air, to be supplied to a chlorine dioxide generator or the like are passed to a mixing chamber through separate fixed orifices of such respective sizes as to permit the flow of appropriate proportions of the separate gases to the mixing chamber under predetermined pressures.

I claim: 1. A Valve mechanismfor controlling the flow of fluids comprising a chamber, a fluid inlet to and a fluid outlet from said chamber, a valve interposed in the path of the fluid through said chamber, mechanical means tending to hold said valve in the closed position, whereby the flow of fluid through said chamber is prevented, a second chamber, a diaphragm extending across and forming one wall of said second chamber, a fluid inletto and a restricted fluid outlet from said second chamber, a second valve interposed in the path of the iiuid through said second chamber,

said second valve being actuated by a second diaphragm extending across and forming one wall of a third chamber, a`uid connection between said third chamber and the outlet from the first said chamber, whereby the outlet pressure of the fluid is transmitted to said third chamber and is therein exerted Vagainst the said second diaphragm, a mechanical connection between the secondfdiaphragm and thesaid second valve tend- `ingfto close said second valve when pressureis exerted through the said third chamber against the second'diaphragm and a mechanical connection between the first said valve' and the first said diaphragm tending to oppose the said mechanical means holding the first said valve in the closed position when fluid pressure is exerted on said first diaphragm through the said second chamber.

2. A valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluids comprising a chamber, a fluid inlet to and a fiuidoutlet from said chamber, a valve interposed in the path of the fluid through said chamber, mechanical means tending to hold said valve in the closed position, whereby the flow of fluid through said chamber is prevented, a second chamber, a diaphragm extending across and forming one wall of saidsecond chamber, a fluid inlet to and a restricted fluid outlet from said second chamber, a second valve interposed in the path of the fluid through said second chamber, said second valve being actuated by a second diaphragm extending across and forming one wall of a third chamber, a fluid connection between said third chamber and the outlet from the first said chamber, whereby the outlet pressure of the fluid is transmitted to said third chamber and is therein exerted against the said second diaphragm, a mechanical connection between the second diaphragm and the said second valve tending to close said second valve when pressure is exerted through the said third chamber against the second diaphragm, a mechanical connection between the first said valve and the first said diaphragm tending to oppose the said mechanical means holding the first said valve in the closed position when iiuid pressure is exerted on said first diaphragm through the said second chamber,`

\ an exhaust port connected with the outlet of the said first chamber, a third Valve for controlling the escape of iiuid through said exhaust port,

said exhaust port valve normally being held in the closed position by mechanical means and mechanical means actuated by the first said mechanical means for opening the said exhaust port Valve when the opposing force exerted by the rst said diaphragm fails.

3. A unitary valve mechanism for controlling the flow of uids comprising a housing, a chamber within said housing, a fluid inlet to and a fluid outlet from said chamber, a valve interposed in the path of the fluid through said chamber, mechanical means tending to hold said valve in the closed position, whereby fiow of fluid through said chamber is prevented, a second chamber within the housing, one wall of said chamber being formed by a diaphragm extending across a portion of the housing, a fiuid inlet to and a restricted fiuidfoutlet from said second chamber, a second valve interposed in the path of the fluid through said second chamber, a third chamber within said housing, one wall of said chamber being formed by a second diaphragm extending across a portion of the housing, a fluid connection between said third .chamber and the outlet from the first said chamber, whereby the outlet pressure of the fluid is transmitted to the third said chamber and is therein exerted againstA the said second diaphragm, a mechanical connection between the second diaphragm and the second Valve tending to close said second Valve when mechanical pressure is exerted through said third chamber against the said second diaphragm, a mechanical exhaust port, said exhaust port valve normally being held in the closed position by mechanical means and mechanical means actuated by the first said mechanical means for opening said exhaust port valve when the force opposing the last said mechanical means fails.

GREGORY A. PETROE. 

